United Out To Extend Stadium Of Light Record

Manchester United are aiming to extend an impressive record at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Saturday, having gained at least one point on every Premier League visit so far.

Last season's 1-1 draw, when Juan Mata's opener was cancelled out by Jack Rodwell, was the 13th consecutive occasion on which the Reds have avoided defeat at the Black Cats' ground.

United have only lost once on Wearside in the Premier League and that was in 1997 when Sunderland were still playing at their former home, Roker Park. The hosts triumphed 2-1 with goals by Michael Gray and John Mullin, despite Andy Melville putting through his own net.

Since the maiden voyage to the Black Cats' current home in 1999, United have won nine and drawn the other four games there in the Premier League. The only defeats have come in the League Cup, both 2-1.

The final visit before the turn of the millennium required a comeback as Sunderland led 2-0 inside 12 minutes through Gavin McCann and familiar foe Niall Quinn before Roy Keane and Nicky Butt rescued a point.

Andy Cole scored in both wins in 2001, 1-0 and 3-1, before Ryan Giggs netted in a 1-1 draw perhaps best remembered for Keane's sending off following a spat with Jason McAteer. As Sunderland dropped out of the top flight, another three years elapsed before the Reds returned to the Stadium of Light in October 2005. Three strikers - Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Giuseppe Rossi (with his first-ever Premier League goal) - all scored to earn Sir Alex Ferguson's men a fine 3-1 success.

The margin was even greater on Boxing Day in 2007 as Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a stunning free-kick in a 4-0 romp. Louis Saha scored twice, once from the penalty spot, with Rooney the other marksman. A narrow 2-1 victory in April 2009 edged United closer to the title when Federico Macheda, six days after his dream debut strike at home to Aston Villa, scored another winning goal at Sunderland's expense.

The Reds kept clean sheets on their next four trips to the Stadium of Light; Nani scored the only goal there in May 2010 and the visitors notched two more 1-0 wins after a 0-0 draw in October 2010. Rooney did the damage on the final day of the 2011/12 season but it all ended in agony for the Reds when, back in Manchester, neighbours City scored twice late on against QPR to snatch the title. The following year, Robin van Persie's drive deflected off Titus Bramble as United took a big step towards claiming the trophy back.

October 2013 heralded the arrival of Adnan Januzaj, who scored both goals in a 2-1 triumph to mark his full debut in style. Mata was the last United player to net there, in the aforementioned visit of August 2014.

United's unbeaten Premier League record at the Stadium of Light:

28/12/99 D 2-2 Keane, Butt
31/01/01 W 1-0 Cole
13/10/01 W 3-1 Vargas o.g., Giggs, Cole
31/08/02 D 1-1 Giggs
15/10/05 W 3-1 Rooney, van Nistelrooy, Rossi
26/12/07 W 4-0 Rooney, Saha 2, Ronaldo
11/04/09 W 2-1 Scholes, Macheda
02/05/10 W 1-0 Nani
02/10/10 D 0-0
13/05/12 W 1-0 Rooney
30/03/13 W 1-0 Bramble o.g.
05/10/13 W 2-1 Januzaj 2
24/08/14 D 1-1 Mata